Description
USAID supports regional and bilateral programs that will buttress the key goals of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Community and the US Government (USG), outlined in the Joint Vision Statement (JVS) for Enhanced US-ASEAN Partnership. A primary USG vehicle for providing this support during the first five to eight years of the US – ASEAN Enhanced Partnership will be the proposed ASEAN Development Vision to Advance National Cooperation and Economic Integration (ADVANCE) indefinite quantity contract (IQC). The objective of the ADVANCE IQC is to provide a vehicle to support the ASEAN Secretariat and work with and through ASEAN member states’ governments, civil society and the private sector to achieve results consistent with the goals outlined in the Joint Vision Statement. Assistance priorities will depend on the amount and type of funding available, USG legal and policy objectives and priorities of USAID. In particular, USAID expects to provide technical assistance, support and services to: 1. Strengthen the Secretariat consistent with the Vientiane Action Program (VAP) by increasing its capacity to fulfill its mandate to initiate, advise, coordinate, and implement effective ASEAN activities including support of member states in their strategic development initiatives. 2. Implement regional activities that enhance ASEAN integration and cooperation consistent with other specific VAP directives, including, but not limited to: economic integration, economic governance, commercial legal reform, intellectual property rights (IPR), trade capacity building (TCB), trade facilitation, customs reform, trade negotiations, SME development, cluster based competitiveness, supply chain development, macroeconomic and policy reform, investment, financial sector surveillance and reform, capital market development, rule of law and legal reform, anti-corruption initiatives, human rights, immigration policy, trafficking in persons (TIP), regional security, counter-terrorism, cross-border environmental issues, energy efficiency and policy, regional health policy, regional emergency preparedness. 3. Leverage the funding and expertise of development partners such as corporations, foundations, ASEAN member countries, other donors and NGOs to address jointly defined development challenges which are consistent with the objectives outlined in the JVS. USAID anticipates that ASEAN members in the region will require assistance from ADVANCE and that demand for services provided under the ADVANCE IQC will increase over time. The estimated ceiling of the IQC will be $150 million for a period of 5 years. Anticipated contractor duties include provision of technical and advisory services, training, research, and other services to: USAID missions, bureaus, and their clients. The contractor shall provide these services through execution of task orders with specified performance goals and bench-marks for achievement of objectives. Detailed information about this solicitation will be contained in the RFP documents that will be available on or after July 7, 2006 on this website. The closing date for the submission of the proposals, to be specified in the RFP, will be about 40-45 days thereafter. All questions related to this notice must be addressed in writing, fax or email, to the Senior Acquisition Specialist at the address stated above. The preferred method of distribution of USAID Acquisition and Assistance (A&A) information is via the Internet. By exception, USAID can provide the solicitation on a 3.5" floppy disk (MS Word XP format), via e-mail, or in hard copy. Requestors must confirm to the RCO their inability to access the RFP via the Internet before they request a diskette or hard copy of the document. The notice can be viewed and downloaded using this website. The solicitation, once issued, can also be downloaded from this website. Requestors are encouraged to access the solicitation via the Internet as this eliminates possible delays associated with mailing in general, and from overseas Missions, in particular. Once the RFP is issued, Requestors must confirm in writing to the RCO receipt of the solicitation through the Internet. As the recipient of this solicitation document, the requestor is responsible for ensuring that you have received it from the Internet in its entirety. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Further, please be aware that amendments to solicitations are occasionally issued and will be posted on the same Internet site where the solicitation was posted. Generally, the RCO will send a copy of RFP amendments to all those who have sent in the written confirmation of solicitation receipt. However, USAID does not guarantee that an amendment will be issued to you directly based upon written confirmation that you have downloaded the solicitation from the Internet. Requestors are therefore advised to regularly check the FedBizOpps website (http://www.fedbizopps.gov/) for amendments. The publication of this notice does not obligate the USG to issue an RFP or to award a contract.